The fourth step helps you assess whether you should set up additional profiles.

The final step is to take a “big picture” approach to your social media accounts.

Not only is it important to have some kind of social media presence, but you also want to evaluate what that social media presence says about you.

Does it present a positive or negative impression of you?

Does it establish you as an expert in your field or a thought leader?

STEP ONE: Google Yourself

Log out of your Google accounts (i.e., Gmail, YouTube, etc.) if you have them.

Clear your browser cache.

Then, Google your name.

Hint: “Think like a hiring manager or recruiter” when conducting your Google search.

Start with just your basic name, but narrow it down by including your geographic location (“Jane Jobseeker Omaha”) or job title (“Jane Jobseeker public relations”) if you have a common name.

Don’t get too specific or you won’t be seeing the same results that the hiring manager will see when he or she Googles your name.

You may wish to conduct two or three searches and answer the following questions and/or fill out the worksheet a couple of separate times to see the different results you receive.

Answer these questions:

What is the total number of responses Google came up with: _____

How many images or videos of you are on page 1? _____

Are there any endorsements from others about you on the first page of your Google search results? (Yes or No) _____

Next, for your first 1-3 pages of search results, assess each result with the following information: Source, whether it pertains to you, and whether the impact is positive, negative, or neutral.

Use the worksheet below to rate the first 20 results in your Google search.

Now, assess your total scores.

How many YESES do you have? _____

How many of the results listed are about you (and not someone else)? _____

Next, assess how many POSITIVE results you recorded.

Are at least 70% of the results that are about you positive — or at least neutral? _____

If you have negative information about you on the first page of your Google search results, you will need to do some work on your online reputation management.

One of the best ways to do this is to claim your social media profiles (i.e., Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.) and to publish content (i.e., writing articles, being published in periodicals associated with your profession, writing LinkedIn posts, etc.).

You can also use an online tool like the Reach™ Online ID Calculator™ to assess your online presence.

If you have any controversial or inappropriate information on your profile, either delete the post (preferred) or set the setting for that post/picture to private.

Remember, however, that once information is posted online, it lives online forever.

And, even if you have your privacy settings set to “Friends Only,” that doesn’t mean that the information won’t be shared.

Any of your friends can take a screenshot of your information and share it.

Next, you want to make sure that you are active on all the platforms you have an account on.

Delete — or make inactive — any accounts you’re not currently using regularly.

Also, check your usernames — particularly on Twitter. Make sure that they are all in “good taste.”

On Facebook, in particular, it’s important that you have some information that is public. Your profile photo and employment and education information should be visible to all visitors, so make sure your privacy settings are set to allow that.

You also want to look at your friends/follower counts. This is your network. Identify whether you need to increase the number of people you are connected with.

STEP THREE: Evaluate Your LinkedIn Presence

LinkedIn is likely your most visible employment-related social media profile, and you should spend some time making sure that it represents you well.

You also want to make sure that your LinkedIn profile meets the site’s definitions of “profile completeness.”

LinkedIn has its own criteria for “profile completeness,” which has changed somewhat over time.

To be considered “complete” by LinkedIn’s standards, you need these items in your LinkedIn profile:

Your industry and location

An up-to-date current position (with a description)

Two past positions

Your education

At least three skills

A profile photo

At least 50 connections

Having a strong LinkedIn network is also important, so you need to assess the strength of your network.

While LinkedIn only requires 50 connections to be “complete,” you need to grow your network beyond this.

You should have a minimum of 100 connections. The more connections you have, the better LinkedIn will work for you.

STEP FOUR: See If There Are Any Gaps

While it’s not necessary to have accounts on multiple social media platforms, you need to identify if there are any industry-specific or job-specific social media accounts you need to have in order to boost your credibility as a candidate.

For example, if you are a developer, consider an account on GitHub.

If you’re a photographer, you definitely need a Flickr and/or Instagram account.

If you’re a designer or artist, consider an account on Behance.

If you’re a writer, think about signing up for a Tumblr or Mediumaccount.

How do you know what profession-specific social media presence you need?

Ask colleagues.

Google others in your profession and see what social media platforms they use.

Inquire of your professional association contacts.

Read industry trade journals and see what apps and websites are mentioned.

STEP FIVE: Assess Your Total Social Media Presence

The final step is to ensure consistency across all your social media profiles.

For example, consider using the same professional photo on all your social media accounts (especially LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook) so it’s easy for the prospective employer to see that it is your profile.

Go back to Step One and Google yourself again, and continue to do that weekly and see how your results change as you pay more attention to building and maintaining your social media profiles.